Tiltable plumber&#39;s hand ladle



Nov. 13, 1962 J. R. WEST 3,063,110

' TILTABLE PLUMBERS HAND LADLE Filed Jan. 4, 1960 INVENTOR.

dA/mfs 2. W557 A TTO/Z/VE Y United States Patent 3,063,110 TILTABLE PLUMBERS HAND LADLE James R. West, 772 Cumberland Terrace, Clarlrsville, Tenn. Filed Jan. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 98 3 Claims. (Ci. 22-86) This invention relates to a plumbers hand ladle, and it more particularly relates to a ladle for pouring hot lead or the like into pipe joints and similar areas.

It is often necessary to make lead joints in pipes which are situated in diificultly accessible areas such as under bath tubs, in narrow recesses or where the pipes extend up through floors. In these confined areas, it is almost impossible to use the ordinary plumbers ladle since there is not enough room in which to manipulate the ladle into and out of pouring position, especially where accuracy is desirable or even necessary.

It has also been found that even where the space is adequate, the ordinary ladle cannot be adequately controlled for fine manipulation and as a result, there is often danger from hot lead spraying, especially when the lead is being poured in a wet packed joint.

It is one object of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned difficulties by providing an easily tiltable ladle which can 'be tilted into and out of pouring position in extremely confined areas.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a ladle of the aforesaid type which is adapted to be easily and accurately controlled during use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a ladle of the aforesaid type which is relatively simple in construction and which can be easily handled without the necessity for any great amount of skill on the part of the user.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improved ladle, of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly efficient in operation.

With the above and related objects in View, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a ladle embodying the present invention, the ladle being shown in the carrying position for hot lead and the like.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the ladle shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the ladle in pouring position.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown a ladle, generally designated comprising a hollow bowl 12 of substantially hemispherical shape and having an open top. The bowl 12 is provided with a pouring lip or spout 14 on one side adjacent the open upper or top end thereof.

At the rear edge of the open top of the bowl 12 is an upstanding bracket 16. Pivotally connected to this bracket 16 by means of a rivet 18 is the lower end of an arm 20 which extends upwardly from the bowl 12. The arm 20 is provided with a laterally ofi'set upper portion 22. A cover piece 24 of heat insulating material encloses the offset portion 22 and is secured thereto by any desirable means such as the rivets 26 and provides a handle. The insulating material of which the cover piece 24 is constructed may be wood, plastic or any other desirable material serving the purpose.

The bracket 16 is provided with a laterally extending Bfifiddifi Patented Nov. 13., 1262 "ice nose portion 28 to which is secured the lower end of a rod or lever 30. The rod 30 extends upwardly in a direction generally parallel to the arm 20 and through an eyelet '32 forming part of a bracket '34. The bracket 34 is itself secured to the median portion of the arm 20 by means of a rivet or the like shown at 36.

A coil spring 38 surrounds the rod 30 between the eyelet 32 and a flange 40 fixed on the rod 30 below the eyelet 32. This spring 38 acts to bias the rod 30 into the neutral position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 wherein the bowl 12 is retained in horizontal position. However, when the rod 30 is pulled up to compress the spring 88, it tilts the bowl 12 into the pouring position shown in FIG. 3. As soon as the rod 30 is released, the rod 30, under the influence of spring 38, automatically returns the bowl 12 to its normal horizontal position. In order to simplify the use of the rod 30, a finger loop 42 is formed at the upper end of the rod 30 (as best shown in FIG. 1).

In order to effectuate an effective control of the ladle so that the bowl is not permitted to tilt too far, there is provided a stop 44- on the nose portion 28 of the bracket 16. This stop, which may be a rivet, bolt, lug or the like, is positioned to engage against the lower end of arm 20 when the bowl 12 ha reached a predetermined tilted position (as in FIG. 3) at which time it serves to limit the bowl against any further tilting.

By means of a ladle of the above-described construction, it is possible to work in otherwise inaccessible places since all that is necessary is to insert the ladle within the space; thereafter, in order to tilt the bowl 12 into and out of proper pouring position, it is merly necessary to push down on or release pressure on the handle 30. It is not necessary to tilt the entire ladle.

The above-described device is especially useful for pouring hot lead, however, it may also be used for other materials such as solder, molten metal, etc.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A plumbers hand ladle for pouring molten material in an area somewhat diflicult of access comprising an open bowl, a pouring spout integrally formed in the upper peripheral edge of said bowl, a bracket upstanding from said upper peripheral edge of said bowl and displaced approximately ninety degrees about said peripheral edge of said bowl from said pouring spout, a bowl carrying handle arm, said bracket being pivotally supported on said handle arm, a laterally projecting apertured nose on said bracket extending rearwardly of said spout, an eyelet fixed on said arm and spaced above said bracket end thereof, a rod pivotally secured at one end to said projecting apertured nose and extending through said eyelet and terminating in a finger receiving loop adjacent the upper end of said handle arm, the upper end of said handle arm being bent at an angle thereto, an insulating handle fixed on said bent upper end of said handle arm, a stop boss on said projecting nose arranged to abut said handle arm when said bracket and bowl are pivoted there about to limit the tilting of said bowl, and a coil spring about said rod biased between said eyelet and a flange fixed on said rod urging said rod to bowl leveling position.

2. A plumbers hand ladle comprising an arm, a bowl pivotally connected to one end of said arm, a pouring spout on said bowl, a handle at the opposite end of said arm, said handle comprising a laterally offset portion of said arm, and a heat insulating cover piece encompassing said arm, and an actuating rod connected to said bowl.

said rod having one end connected to said bowl and having the other end extending through an eyelet extending from a median portion of said arm, said arm being connected to said bowl by a bracket extending upwardly from one top side edge of the bowl, said rod being also connected to said bracket in offset relation to said arm, a flange on said rod in spaced relation to said eyelet, and a spring on said rod, said spring being positioned between said flange and said eyelet to resiliently urge said rod into a neutral position where it retains said bowl in a predetermined carrying position, said rod being provided with a finger engaging loop at the end which is opposite the end connected to the bowl, and said rod being axially movable, against the pressure of said spring, to tilt said bowl into a pouring position wherein said spout is downwardly inclined.

3. A plumbers hand ladle comprising an arm having an offset handle portion at one end and a pivot means at its opposite end, a bowl, said pivot means connecting said arm to a bracket extending upwardly from one top side edge of the perimeter of the open mouth of said bowl, said bracket having an offset nose portion to which is connected one end of a rod, said'rod extending from said nose portion in substantial parallelism with said arm, said rod extending through an eyelet fixed to said arm, a spring on said rod retained between said eyelet and a flange on said rod, a stop on said bracket, said stop being positioned to engage said arm when said bowl has been tilted to a predetermined position relative to said arm, said bowl being provided with a pouring spout on the perimeter of said open month, said spout being offset about ninety degrees from said arm around the said perimeter, said handle portion being encompassed by heat insulating material, and a finger engaging loop on said rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 296,051 Peters Apr. 1, 1884 556,085 Cahill Mar. 10, 1896 1,207,607 Nance Dec. 5, 1916 1,437,010 Philippi Nov. 28, 1922 2,460,685 Ford Feb. 1, 1949 

